


Rogues and Ruins

by agreengalaxy



Category: Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars Sequel Trilogy
Genre: AND BB8 IS A CAT, Alternate Universe - Fantasy, Alternate Universe - Royalty, Angst with a Happy Ending, Commander Ben Solo, Empress Rey (Star Wars), F/M, He's the only guy in her life she can tolerate, I MADE FINN REY AND KAYDEL SIBLINGS, Oh, Planet Naboo (Star Wars), Rey is a Kenobi (Star Wars), Rey meets Ben at her palace, Reylo - Freeform, Slow Burn, War, a small hint of damerey because he's her suitor lol, aka my favorite trope of all time, also rey goes undercover to fight at some point, and all of her siblings are adopted, and he makes rey question things, ben is just a normal guy kinda, but first there's a lil tragedy, except not really at all, idk how tags work can u tell, just the fun royalty part lol, mulan style, my fic my rules lmao, thats right, this is also sort of inspired by the selection btw, you know the deal
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-10-23
Updated: 2020-10-25
Packaged: 2021-03-09 01:01:25
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 9,743
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27165593
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/agreengalaxy/pseuds/agreengalaxy
Summary: "I'm terrified.""War does that to a person.""You know that's not what I'm scared of."***Rey Kenobi, Empress of Naboo, has been engaged in a war with the neighboring kingdoms for as long as she can remember. She loathes the excessive lifestyle of the palace, her obnoxious suitors, and her advisors who do not treat her as a serious ruler. When Commander Benjamin Solo is invited to the palace with his regiment to celebrate a recent victory on Coruscant, why does Rey suddenly find herself so intrigued by the scruffy soldier from the Outer Rim? Why can't she force herself to look for her suitor, Count Dameron, the same way she constantly looks out for Ben? Why does his departure make her question everything she thinks she knows?How far will Empress Rey go to protect the person she's falling for, even if it betrays the ones she loves?
Relationships: Rey/Ben Solo | Kylo Ren
Comments: 2
Kudos: 8





	1. Chapter 1

The worst part of Empress Rey Kenobi's day, invariably, was court.

Well, it’s not so much that she hated the act of court itself. It was fine enough to meet new people, all of whom were obligated to treat her with the utmost respect, especially ordinary citizens. She often felt overruled in her duties by her advisors, who were in the habit of acting first and asking Rey's permission after the fact, so she felt being able to talk with the people of their great kingdom helped her to gain control in some small way. After these court sessions, she did not retire, and instead went straight to her throne room in which she began to draft up plans to address the problems brought to her that day. 

She also didn’t necessarily hate the parties that were thrown when court was in session. The alcohol made those bearable, as did her friends and siblings. No, what Rey truly despised about court was the nobles.

Ugh! Unbearable scum, she thought to herself. When peasants came to court, they spoke to her with a sort of kind reverence that she at least felt she’d earned from her work. But when the nobles in court decided to talk to Rey, they groveled and flattered her to the point of making themselves look like complete fools. It was a practical circus for her behalf, and she had long been tired of the excessive gift-giving and compliments. It wasn’t as if Rey was stupid, and it was always incredibly obvious that nobles were kissing her ass in the hope of gaining some favoritism from her, or, far worse— they were hoping they would become Rey’s future husband.

Right now, for example, Count Dameron was currently making an ass of himself boasting about some trip to the kingdoms of the Outer Rim which was fraught with danger. In all fairness, Count Dameron— Poe, they called him in secret —was not quite so bad as some of the others. He actually had been able to make Rey laugh before, which was a real feat for someone who was not a Kenobi. Plus, Rey knew that Poe wasn’t really in it for himself like her other suitors were. The Damerons had always been closely entangled with the Kenobi dynasty, and she was well aware that Poe was under immense pressure to secure the hand of the Empress in marriage. Rey had resigned herself to the fact that she very well might end up with him. At least she didn’t want to strangle him every time he spoke, unlike some of the odious men that had been presented to her.

Flanking Rey on either side were her two siblings, Princess Kaydel on her left, and Prince Finn on her right. Rey’s parents, Obi-Wan and Satine, had broken royal tradition and adopted children. They had received a lot of backlash for it, members of court arguing that if her parents were unable to biologically produce an heir the title should pass to the next blood-related individual in line. Rey thought if her parents hadn’t been killed in the war when she was fifteen she very well would have been passed over as Empress— but with the untimely deaths of both of them, almost no one had argued when the title was granted to her. Rey preferred not to think about her parents when she could avoid it. 

“I have to say, I think you really are due for a trip outside of Naboo, Empress. There can’t be much use keeping you locked up in this palace when there’s a whole world of people to meet,” Poe told her.

Finn nudged Rey. He’d been saying the same thing for years.

“I wish you’d finally start calling me Rey, Count Dameron. We’ve known each other since we were children,” She urged him. It bothered Rey how much her ascension had changed things in her life, even with her friends. “And, besides, I can’t possibly leave— I have far too much work at hand to be able to enjoy any trip without a guilty conscience. And with the war… I don’t think my advisors will be eager to allow me to repeat the mistakes of the past.”

“You can’t live your whole life in fear, Rey. You’re the Empress, you should at least be able to enjoy some of that title. I know you dislike it here,” Finn accused knowingly, a smirk on his face.

“Who said I don’t enjoy being Empress?”

“Your face does,” Kaydel remarked, trying to suppress laughter. “You barely even try to act like you’re having a good time when our guests talk to you.”

Rey shot her sister an angry look, her eyes wide, then glanced at Poe. This wasn’t the sort of thing they were meant to discuss in front of nobility, even if it was only Poe Dameron. Any word of Rey disliking her title could easily form into a coup of royals vying to take her place— and, besides, it was just plain rude to insinuate the Empress didn’t enjoy her company.

“Relax, Empress,” Poe laughed, gesturing widely with his hands. “It’s not like I didn’t already know. The Princess is right; you’re no actress.”

Rey rolled her eyes. She would have whacked Poe if it was appropriate. One of the worst parts about being Empress was the constant need to second guess herself. Anything could become a scandal in the blink of an eye.

“Alright, I think I’ve had enough of being mocked for today.” She sighed heavily, glancing outside at the slowly setting sun. Somehow the day managed to always get away from her. Rey thought of the old adage about time flying when you're having fun. That was wrong. When you least want it to, time jolted and lurched in strange patterns. The days she wanted to pass quickly dragged, and every time she had had work to do, she found herself longing for there to be more hours in the day as she worked late into the dark night. “Tell me before I go," She emplored Poe, placing a hand on his arm. "Is there anything new which my advisors are keeping from me? You know how I dislike them, and I know you have more intel than you let on.”

Poe considered this for a moment, raising an eyebrow. Poe's father ranked well in the military, and Rey had fallen into the habit of seducing information out of the Count which others kept from her.

"It's confidential, as always," He warned before he spoke, glancing around to judge who was within earshot.

"You act as if my whole life isn't confidential, Mr. Dameron."

“Well then... Our forces are advancing in Endor. They conquered a militia group on the outer edge of the kingdom, as expected, but it’s surprising that the peasants are getting involved with the war. If enemy forces manage to penetrate our walls, we may have to call our people to arms.”

“That won’t happen,” Rey said firmly. “Our walls are strong enough to withstand explosions. No force on land should be able to get through; I've made sure of it.”

“I’m sure they are, but I would advise you that caution can’t hurt. We need to be as careful as possible, Rey. You know the things they say about you already. An attack would be catastrophic." Poe was referring to the terrible whisperings that had existed in Naboo ever since Rey's ascension. People thought she was incapable of leading, if not because she wasn't a Kenobi, then because she was too young, and, if not because of her age, because she was a woman. Poe, at least, had strongly countered the rumors whenever they reached him, which Rey was truly grateful for. "Organizing volunteer forces now can’t hurt war morale in the kingdom either, either. Let’s see— we’ve also won against forces in Coruscant. Pryde’s army, those bastards. As you can imagine, they’ll want to retaliate for the losses we caused, and there were plenty. I’m sure you’ve heard many of our soldiers on that front will be arriving for a stay at the palace, expecting honors for bravery.”

Oh no. Forces arriving in the palace could only mean...

“I didn’t know that, actually. I guess it's just one more thing they've thought to keep from me. You’ll have to remind me; the general for our Coruscant force is…?”

“General Armitage Hux, your majesty.”

Rey tried to keep her face pleasant, but she felt her features twist into disgust against her will. General Hux was another of her longtime suitors, a favorite of her advisors. Marrying him, they said, would send a strong statement to their enemies about the military might of Naboo. Strong statement, my ass, Rey thought. Being a general didn’t change the fact that he was a complete slimy prick. In fact, it only made him worse, as Rey was forced to listen to him drone on about his conquests.

“Wonderful news,” Rey managed through gritted teeth. “I haven’t heard from General Hux in quite some time. He should be able to give me more news about the war. Thank you for your information, Count Dameron. You know your help is truly invaluable to me.”

“Well,” Poe began, raising Rey’s hand to his lips. “As always, it’s been my honor, Empress.”

“Rey,” She corrected once more, exasperated.

“Empress Rey,” Poe conceded, bowing before he walked away.

As they watched him disappear into the sea of uniforms and ball gowns, Kaydel looped her arm through Rey’s and leaned conspiratorially closer to her ear.

“I don’t see why you won’t just marry him,” She told her. “He’s obviously your favorite out of the bunch of your suitors—”

“That’s wrong,” Rey interrupted. “I don’t have favorites. They’re all the same to me. Power-hungry, egotistical...”

“You can be stubborn all you’d like, but you know you’ll have to choose eventually. No one here would object to you choosing Poe. I know you, Rey, and it’ll drive you crazy if you wind up living with a man you can't get along with. The longer you wait, the more they're going to push for Hux. At least you and Poe can be friends. Allowing him to court you will do no harm. Plus, obviously, he likes you.”

“He’s a flirt!” Rey exclaimed, her voice hushed. “He likes everyone. And I have no intention of settling. People can pressure me to marry all they want, but they forget that I’m the Empress. I'm not obligated to anyone except myself.”

“Oh please,” Finn spoke. “You barely control this palace, let alone yourself. You know people won't accept a celibate Empress. No one here will marry for love, if that’s what you're waiting on. You shouldn’t delude yourself into thinking you’ll be different.”

"You act like holding out for someone I can stomach is a bad thing."

"You can stomach Poe. You're holding out for something more. It's not like you can't find love after marrying, Rey. I mean, think of Dad—"

"Finn," Rey snapped, her voice tense. "I don't want to talk about them. Please."

"Whatever you say, Empress," Finn said, pronouncing the word acidly. "But you're going to have to own up to it eventually. Who are you helping by putting it off?"

Rey just shook her head and turned away from her siblings. As she walked towards her suite, her shoes clicking against the tiled floor, people parted around her like a chiffon sea. They all bowed and curtsied to her, tipping forwards like dominos as she passed them, and it took everything within the Empress to not break into a sprint. Ironically, as it were, she could barely even catch her breath.


	2. Chapter 2

On the night of the regiment’s arrival, Rey sat in her dressing room surrounded by her ladies-in-waiting who helped her to pluck pinned up curls from her scalp, allowing her brown tresses to fall gently over her shoulders in uniform waves.

Her cat, Baron Baxter the 8th, or BB8, as he was called, chirped out meows noisily as they worked. He was a direct descendant of the original Baron Baxter owned by Rey’s ancestors, who had literally been given the title of Baron because he was so beloved by the court. BB8 was more mischievous than his predecessors, and it was a miracle that Rey’s father never threw the cat out for all of his troublemaking, but that only made Rey love him more. Rey reached down to scratch the cat’s ears as it wandered past her. 

“Is anything the matter, Empress?” Consort Rose Tico asked her softly as she ran her fingers through one stubborn curl. “You’re very quiet this evening.”

“Yes and no,” Rey replied thoughtfully after a moment. “I do love to greet the soldiers and hear about what life is actually like on the front lines— and what I might be able to do to help them in any way. But,” She paused to let out a breathy laugh. “General Hux will be attending tonight.”

Rose and her sister, Paige, gave each other a knowing look.

“Say no more,” Rose laughed. “I get it. I don’t know why you can’t just tell him to go to Hell. One time he mistook me for a waiter, and he was somehow even more unbearable than usual.”

“Well, Duke Snoke wouldn’t be very happy with that,” Rey laughed loudly. “He might even make me issue a formal apology to the General in public.”

“I’d like to see that,” Paige grinned. “Knowing you, you’d find some way to add salt to Hux’s wounds. I say go for it.”

Rey bit her lip to hold back her smile. Paige knew her well. She could imagine it now: her standing on the speaker’s balcony of the palace, a little piece of paper in hand, describing the immense embarrassment her actions had caused poor General Hux and how she was so sorry if she’d wounded his ego… Ah, it was an immensely intriguing idea— but, alas, not realistic. Rey hummed in consideration.

“Unfortunately that wouldn’t be very regal of me,” Rey said, conceding to her years of stately training which had permanently ingrained itself in her mind. “... Or ladylike, at that.”

Now, that was something that had always pissed off Rey more than anything else. Why did being a lady change the rules of etiquette so much? If she were an Emperor, it would be perfectly fine for her to dismiss a suitor and call them names on their way out. Her advisors might have even applauded her “balls” for doing so. But, because Rey was Empress, there was a certain decorum expected of her that her male counterparts would have never suffered. 

“Maybe you should let me at him,” Rose grinned wickedly as she tightened the last of Rey’s corset. “And then you can just give me a pardon. I’m okay with hurting my reputation if it means getting even, and it’d be even better done on your behalf, Rey. Take this!” She exclaimed, and then dramatically slapped the air as if General Hux were right in front of her. “Something like that,” Rose ended with a laugh. 

As Rose moved back behind the Empress, Rey was able to fully see herself in the floor-length mirror for the first time that evening. She wore a ballgown, per usual, made of red velvet— the heavy kind, not the fake stuff —which glinted white in the light overhead. The fabric sinched together at her waist, more taut than it was normally thanks to the corset, and the bell-shaped skirt fell just above her ankles, swinging gently from side to side as she walked. Her hair flowed in soft bundles dipping just below her collar bones, and her cheeks took on a permanent flush from the rouge Paige had gently dabbed on her face. The Tico sisters truly were artists, and they once again had managed to design the most radiant version of the Empress who looked like a true ruler. Rose lifted herself onto her toes and carefully secured Rey’s favorite crown into her hair, a modest headpiece comprised of wheat flowers made out of gold, an homage to Naboo’s primary export. She was admittedly far more partial to the simplicity of the headpiece than the ceremonial crown used for more formal events, which easily weighed ten pounds.

Rey appraised her completed look in the mirror once more, then nodded in affirmation.

“You’ve outdone yourself again, ladies,” She smiled. “Wonderful. You’re both dismissed for the evening— and, please, enjoy yourself at the reception tonight! You’ve more than earned it.”

Paige and Rose both bowed to the Empress, and quickly exited from the door which led towards the imperial entourage’s suites. As the door shut with a click behind them, Rey quickly sunk back into the chair in front of her vanity and sighed. BB8 meowed loudly and jumped down from the windowsill he had settled into.

“Looks like we’re in for quite a night, Baron,” Rey told him, then raised an eyebrow. “Are you going to be making an appearance this evening?”

BB8 was a common guest at parties in the palace. He had free reign of the place, and it was convenient to have him around to chase off any creatures that mistakenly entered the ballroom as guests came and went. BB8 flopped down to the ground and rolled around on the carpet. 

“Maybe not, then,” Rey mused to herself, standing up and brushing off her skirt. 

***

As far as reception balls went, this one was pretty exciting. Of course, soldiers coming to the palace was a big deal, and many of the eligible ladies of the court were eager for their chance to dance with them and win their hearts. As Rey traversed through the crowd in search of her siblings she was repeatedly stopped to be introduced to the men of the regiment. Admittedly, they all began to blur together after a bit, but Rey was determined to put on a good face and be pleasant to her guests. In the middle of one of her conversations, she saw Poe pass by, and quickly excused herself to talk to him.

“Empress!” He exclaimed, surprised as she approached. Poe grabbed both of her hands while he spoke. “It’s wonderful to see you again.”

“You as well,” She grinned. “I wanted to tell you that I brought up your idea of organizing volunteer militias throughout the kingdom. I think we’re moving forward with it.”

“That’s amazing!” Poe laughed and pulled Rey into a hug. When he pulled back he looked uncertain if he had crossed some line, but Rey quickly waved his worries off. “What’d they say when you mentioned it?”

“I think Duke Snoke nearly had a heart attack,” She giggled. “And Palpatine was on the verge of one too. They said it would 'cause a panic’ among our citizens— as if being unprepared and risking their lives would be any better!”

“And what’d you say?” Poe encouraged, looking wickedly amused. 

“I told them that I was Empress and I would find a way to make it happen anyway if they said no. I’m thinking I want to have Finn organize everything, and you too, if you'd like, that is.”

“Are you kidding?” He asked in disbelief, and Rey shook her head. “Of course I’ll do it! Thank you, really, Empress.”

“Perfect,” Rey said, covering her mouth for a moment so no one would see her shit-eating grin. “I’ll talk to Finn about it as soon as I see him, and then you both can get to work whenever you’d like. Soon, though, if you can.”

Rey thought she’d never seen the Count so joyful. In the background, the orchestra began to play the opening measures of an upbeat song, and people scrambled to find partners to dance with. Rey recognized it immediately. It was a crowd favorite, full of lots of twirls and switching places, but she had never been one to participate in those kinds of things. It would be frowned upon, she was certain.

“Hey,” Poe asked her after a second, snapping her out of her thoughts. “What are you doing right now?”

“Right now?” She asked. “Uh, talking to you, I guess… and earlier I was meeting some of the soldiers, too.”

“Why don’t we dance?” Count Dameron asked her, looking over at the lines of men and women that had begun to form in the center of the ballroom.

“Dance?” Rey blanched. “To... this? I’m more of a slow waltz kind of girl. This one is a bit… er, exciting.”

“Come on!” Poe asked, grabbing her hand. “You deserve to have a little fun every once and a while! What's the point of a ball if you don't dance? You know what? That's it— let’s go,” He announced firmly, clearly not leaving the Empress any choice. "We're going to miss it!" He yelled as Rey rolled her eyes but didn’t protest. 

It was certainly a rare sight to behold: the Empress dancing so joyfully, let alone with Count Dameron. Rey could practically hear the rumors forming as she danced, but she tried to block them out of her mind. Rey and Poe weaved in and out of line, spinning around one another and stepping along to the beat. Sometimes when they would come back together after a turn around the dance floor, the Count would whisper a comment about the people around them.  
“How many poodles do you think she skinned for that dress?” He asked at one point, nodding towards Countess Holdo who was wearing an elaborate dress that appeared to have a skirt and neckline made from a curly kind of fur. Rey had to bite her tongue to keep from barking out a laugh.

This particular dance ended with the string section speeding up, and the men spinning their partners continuously while the onlookers clapped. Poe pulled Rey close and whispered, “Spin!” before grabbing her waist and propelling her like a dreidel. Around and around she went, like some kind of fireball in her red gown, her arms raised in the air. The music was loud in her ears along with the sound of Poe’s laughter, and her own. When the music finally stopped, she nearly collapsed into the Count’s arms with dizziness. The onlookers erupted into applause, and the Empress, suddenly incredibly self-conscious, realized the majority of the guests were applauding for her. Embarrassed, her cheeks surely blushing, she gave everyone a small wave and curtsey. 

Still laughing in spite of her embarrassment, she grabbed Poe’s arm, about to pull him back into the crowd so that she could disappear from the attention, when suddenly she heard someone clear their throat behind them.

“General Hux!” She exclaimed as she turned around, caught off guard by his morose presence in the midst of such joy. “I’m so sorry, I didn’t see you there.”

“Your majesty,” General Hux bowed to the Empress, and she nodded her head in response. “It’s lovely to make your acquaintance once again.”

“Hi,” Poe cut in before Rey could say anything more, stepping protectively in front of her and clearly attempting to size himself up next to the General. “I’m Count Poe Dameron. I believe we’ve met once at the Christmas ball a few years ago.”

The General narrowed his eyes and scowled at Poe as he considered this.

“Hm,” He finally spoke. “Yes, I think you’re right. Empress,” Hux continued, practically ignoring Poe’s existence. “I wanted to ask you to do me the honor of giving me the next dance.”

Rey glanced over at Poe, who had one eyebrow raised in a silent question. Don’t you dare leave me, she thought frantically, and prayed Poe could receive her telepathic message. 

“Um,” Poe mumbled after a moment. “Yeah... Perhaps I’ll go find the Prince— talk about... er, that thing that we discussed earlier, Empress. Don’t be too long, though,” He grabbed her hand and, as he always did, kissed it. Then he added in a hush, “Your next dance is mine.”

“Obviously!” She practically hissed at him. Rey hoped that he got what she was really trying to say: you traitor!

Awkwardly, Poe bowed to her, nodded at Hux, and then ducked away from their conversation. Rey watched him disappear into the crowd for as long as she possibly could without being rude, praying that Hux would somehow magically disappear by the time she turned around once more. He didn't. 

“So, Empress,” Hux reminded her once more. “How about we dance?”

Rey gulped, but tried to keep a smile on her face.

“Um, yes. Of course,” She finally managed. “Let’s.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> BENNY BOY SOLO INCOMING IN THE NEXT CHAPTER LETS GOOOOO REYLO NATION (also I may or may not have gotten a little over-excited and written parts of chapter 3 and 4 before I completed this one and PHEW I'm looking forward to those!!!!)


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello all! My apologies for disappearing- between the US elections and finals season it's been really hard to find time to write for fun lately. Butttt I hope this longer chapter was worth the wait for all of you! Because I'm a student, updates will probably be scarce until December, but from then til January/Feb I hope to be able to post a ton for this fic!! Thank you all for your patience and support on the first chapters, I hope you enjoy! <3
> 
> Potential TW for panic attacks

As Rey’s luck would have it, the next song the orchestra began to play was a slow waltz, and so her dance with Hux was sure to be dreadfully long and filled with small talk about the war that she really didn’t care to hear— well, at least not from him. The General lifted a hand and smoothed his hair, reddish brown that looked unnatural against his pale complexion, before grabbing the Empress’ hand and waist. Rey squirmed underneath his touch, but the years of etiquette training ingrained in her mind demanded she grin and bear her discontent. As the violins began to sing out the gentle one-two-three-one-two-three rhythm of the music, Hux gently began to glide Rey around in a square. Rey was surprised; she seemed to recall his dancing being clumsier at the last ball he attended in the palace. Perhaps he’d been practicing with the ladies on Coruscant. Being a general in a war that sent you far away had its perks— many people intended to marry only for rank, and a general was by far the best a commoner could do. Better, even, than most expected, so even someone as odious as Armitage Hux would be seen as quite the prize. Rey concentrated on her feet to avoid looking at his face.

“Ahem,” Hux cleared his throat, forcing Rey to glance up at him. “It’s been some time since we last met, your majesty. You seem well— you look well,” He corrected himself, emphasizing the alteration. Rey flushed uncomfortably. “Has life at the palace changed much since last Christmas?” 

“Unfortunately not,” She murmured, awkwardly pausing to crouch beneath Hux’s arm as he twirled her. “We’ve been seeing more of soldiers who have returned from victories in the further kingdoms, and the public seem more interested in the war than usual as well. In that regard we’ve made great progress. But, besides that, more of the same, I suppose.” She sighed heavily, already kicking herself for what she was about to ask next. “And you, General? How is the war treating you?”

The corner of Hux’s mouth ticked up at the question, and Rey groaned internally. Here we go.

“Quite swimmingly, Empress, thank you for asking,” He replied, the arrogance plain on his face. “As I’m sure you’re aware, we’ve just had another victory against Pryde’s army on Coruscant. A smashing success, in my own opinion. We were able to surprise them by splitting up in the woods surrounding Uscru, taking out their line of commanders first. My plan, of course. At this rate, I expect that we’ll take the front within the next three months. I’m proud to say I command some of the finest fighting forces in the world, your majesty.”

“Three months?” Rey asked, confused, as she and the General rotated around one another in a circle. “Isn’t that rather long? Uscru is near the western edge of the kingdom, is it not?”

Hux laughed with a howl, and Rey ground her teeth against one another. She hated to be the butt of any joke, especially that of General Hux.

“My dear Empress,” He said, placing a hand on his abdomen. “You never fail to amuse me. Why, three months is record time by military standards— of course, you can’t be expected to know that, though. Just last year my forces and I took Baralou in only nine months when it was anticipated to take twelve at the earliest. I’m surprised that you think so little of me so as to imply that I would move so slow when I am known for being one of the fastest generals in your army.”

Fuck you, you pompous asshole, Rey thought, but she couldn’t possibly say that.

“I’m sorry if I insulted you, General,” She muttered, trying to recall how many measures remained in the waltz. “It was my mistake. My advisors have told me of your efficiency— I guess I just don’t know how military operation timelines go.”

“Well, I hope you learn soon, your highness,” Hux sneered, his eyes dark beneath his brows. “You know, it’s unbecoming of the Empress to not know basic military standards. Especially being a woman— the first woman— don’t you have something to prove for your sex? To show that you can lead a comprehensive military offensive without help from your male counterparts?”

Rey felt like he had slapped her across the face. Surprisingly, she’d heard this all before; Rey’s lack of military understanding was one of the main reasons they encouraged her to marry someone of a high rank. She blinked at the floor, stammering as she attempted to think of a response to the monumental insult that he had just leveled at her.

“I— Of course I feel I have something to prove for my sex,” She managed. “To accuse me of not comprehending military strategy, though, General—”

“Perhaps I should incentivize you to learn, Empress,” Hux pondered, adjusting his grip on Rey’s hip. “If you learn military strategy and come to understand what your troops are doing at any given moment, you can track my army and know exactly when to expect me back here for my next victory reception. Isn’t that worth it, your highness? Like a reward for your efforts.”

“Oh?” The Empress said through gritted teeth, trying to keep the horror off of her face. Given that her hands were resting on his shoulders while they danced, it took a great deal of strength for her to not wrap them around his neck and strangle him. “No, no. I like to be surprised when I receive the… pleasure of your company, General Hux. I enjoy the... anticipation of wondering when we shall have these moments together in the future.”

“Well, certainly that won’t work once we’re engaged,” Hux said offhandedly, and Rey blanched. “To plan the ceremony you’ll need to know my whereabouts— I’m far too important to take a leave of absence for something like that, you understand.”

Rey barked a laugh, loud and awkward, cutting through the murmur of conversations that cut through the room. She stared at him, standing still, an amused smile on her face.

“I’m so sorry, General,” She began. “I was listening to the music, I must have gotten distracted. I don’t believe I heard you properly.”

“Another bad trait,” The General observed as if she could not hear him. “Something else to work on. I was speaking of our engagement, your highness, and how you’ll have to coordinate our events with my schedule.”

“Engagement?” Rey asked incredulously, pushing his hands off of her. “What? That’s a joke! Listen to me, General Hux, I don’t know what planet you’re living on where you believe that I would ever be engaged to you, but to assume without even asking?! Without proceeding with the proper order of things first?!”

“Oh, calm down, darling,” Hux sneered, jeering at her. “Of course I asked! I’m no fool.”

“Asked who?!” She cried, taking a step away from him. No way was this happening. “Because I certainly don’t recall you ever mentioning this to me, General!”

The music around them softened with the end of the song, and then stopped completely. Rey felt the eyes around them all slowly land on her in the absence of music. This wasn’t happening. This was the stuff of her nightmares.

“Duke Palpatine and Duke Snoke, of course.”

“And you assume they speak for me?!” Rey choked, trying to keep her voice down until the next song began to play. “Am I not my own person, General? Never once have I shown interest in you— I never even agreed for you to court me, or anyone for that matter, let alone be married to you!”

“Don’t act so surprised, dear,” Hux said, his voice hushed. He moved closer to her, putting his arm around her shoulders and steering her away from the prying eyes around them. Rey immediately shrugged him off and stumbled back. “You’re making a scene, Empress. Look at me! We all knew this was bound to happen eventually. Acting like this is some huge shock is childish and rude. I expected better of the monarch of Naboo. I hope you know you’re embarrassing yourself, and me, and this crown! I will not have this behavior from you, Rey— and neither will the dukes!”

“Rey?!” She laughed, feeling a tear roll down her cheek. “No. Of all the lines you’ve crossed, now you won’t even respect me as your Empress? Am I nothing to anyone around here?! Go fuck yourself, Hux. And the dukes, too. Fuck all of it! I’d gladly die before marrying you.”

“Don’t be so dramatic,” He groaned, rolling his eyes. “Hysterics are beneath an empress.”

“What? You think I won’t?” Rey giggled, madness breaking through her disgust. “Why don’t you just wait and see? Finn would make a better emperor than I ever could, anyhow! I guess I’d be doing this country a favor— no more woman on the throne!”

With that, she turned and sprinted into the crowd around them, pushing through the unsuspecting plush ball gowns and suits. Rey threw her face into her elbow, determined to hide her shame from those around her. She needed air, now. Rey couldn’t breathe— she was on the verge of a panic attack, she quickly recognized, the same kind she’d suffered ever since her father’s death. Tears falling steadily down her face, Rey fought on, determined to make it to the doors of the balcony outside to catch her breath by herself. Before she could, though, a pair of arms caught her, pulling her against their chest.

“Rey?” Poe asked, scanning her face. “What’s wrong?” He asked frantically, wiping her tears. “Did he do something to you, Rey?”

Rey was silent, still struggling. Her stomach churned and her face was hot. It felt as if someone was screaming directly into her ears; it was impossible to focus, impossible to get away from the noise and the incessant pounding inside her head, and all she could think to do was run.

“It was Hux, wasn’t it? What happened, Rey? Breathe. What’d that piece of shit do?!”

“Poe,” Rey gasped for air, shaking her head frantically. “He— He said— Marriage? And— I can’t, I can’t! I can’t do that! I have to go, I need to go, now,” She cried, shoving past him. “Tell Finn and Kay I had to go— I need to leave—” 

Rey’s feet ached as she ran, and every part of her screamed in horror and protest of what was happening, but finally— by some miracle, Rey reached the large doors on the south side of the ballroom, forcing them open. She stumbled out onto the balcony, nearly tripping over her own dress, the frigid air sobering her slightly, but, glancing over her shoulder to see the commotion brewing inside the ball room in her wake, Rey immediately felt the need to keep running. She frantically kicked her shoes off her feet at the bottom of the balcony stairs and took off, the wet grass cushioning her every move, determined to make it to the farthest edge of the Great Garden, somewhere no one would be able to see her in the pitch-black night. Finally, after what felt like forever, she smacked into the iron gate at the farthest reach, its freezing metal prongs bruising her chest, and Rey sunk to the ground, her elbows resting on her knees, sobbing.

It was her worst nightmare coming true in every way. All of her fears about who she might be coerced into marrying someday, her terror of leading a life without ever knowing love, all of the ways she thought the dukes might conspire against her someday— everything was culminating right in front of her eyes, and yet she was powerless to stop it. Her senses were assaulted with every breath she took, and Rey squeezed her eyes shut, grasping her hair. She rocked back and forth on her heels as she cried, wishing she could scream if she could only catch her breath.

Somewhere far off in the distance, Rey thought she heard Finn calling her name. She needed to keep moving, she thought, a moment of clarity arising amidst her panic. Further down the gate there was a row of trees, and she began to move towards them, hoping to conceal herself behind their trunks. Rey inched along the gate, grasping it’s freezing rungs which burned her palms. 

At the farthest corner of the Garden, Rey remembered, there was a Guard’s House— more like a shack compared to the rest of the grounds houses, truthfully, and mostly abandoned since the war had begun. Rey shuddered as she moved clumsily towards it. As a child she had often taken solace in the house as a secluded place to read when her favorite guard, Rex, was on duty. She was sure Finn and Kaydel didn’t even know it existed, as preoccupied with their studies and fine arts as they always were back then. Finally she saw the shape of the house begin to solidify in the darkness. She paused before she opened the doors to ensure that the voices of her search party were still distant.

Inside the house, a lantern burnt low, evidently due to go out not long from now. Rey was surprised that it was lit at all, the house going mostly unused, but she supposed that, since there was a ball, guard staff had likely been ramped up tonight. Rey moved towards the light, disappointed to realize it was not one of the electric lanterns which had been installed shortly before her father’s death. She paused to take a deep breath, grateful that her panic had not escalated into one of her more debilitating episodes, and wiped at the tears which still flowed over her cheeks.

Suddenly, abrupt in the stillness of the night, someone rustled in the garden outside the door. Rey gasped and recoiled at the sound, frightened.

She was hearing things, surely. No one would be at this edge of the garden, and Finn and Poe would have announced themselves before approaching. 

The floorboard of the Guard House creaked, and Rey sank to the floor, withdrawing to the corner.

“Who’s there?” Rey called after a moment, her whole body still trembling, yet her voice strong. “Reveal yourself. Step towards the light.”

There was silence. Maybe I’m being stupid, Rey thought for a moment, wondering if she had imagined the noise in her hysteria. She certainly was worked up. For all she knew, it could have been the wind or a rat. But then, distinct as it had been before, someone— a person, certainly, from the volume of the noise, moved once more, bumping into the desk underneath the big window.

“I’ll scream,” She promised, working up her courage and yet still desperately wishing she had a weapon. She tried to remember where Rex used to store those things— weren’t there bayonets stored on some rack in here? “I have people looking for me right now. They’ll come find you.”

For a moment, silence.

“Don’t do that,” A voice finally spoke, low and gruff yet surprisingly smooth, emerging from the darkness as he stepped towards the weak light. Rey strained her eyes, but could only vaguely see the outline of a man far taller than her, standing some good distance away from herself. “I’m sorry if I frightened you. I don’t mean to harm you.”

Liar, Rey reflexively thought, ducking behind a table with every advancing step the man took. She vaguely saw his outline attempting to follow her movements, his head scanning her general location.

“Who are you?” Rey asked, still afraid. 

She wished her voice wouldn’t give away her location, but the man took another step closer to her. Rey tried to crawl back further but hit a wall, something pointy jabbing her shoulder.

“Stop hiding,” He pleaded, sounding vaguely frustrated with her. “Please don’t be scared. I saw you running and heard you crying, and then you seemed frightened and started to flee again. I thought you might need my protection, Empress.”

Oh. A palace guard, she quickly realized, and then felt ashamed for accusing him of being some kidnapper. God, Rey was not doing good tonight. What she needed was to be alone so she could finally get the sob she needed, and then to sleep until the ache in her bones went away.

“Oh,” She said stupidly, standing up straight. Rey spread her hands out infront of her, feeling the objects in her path and trying to maneuver towards him and the lantern. “I was worried you might be an enemy soldier. Sorry. That was incredibly rude of me.”

“Not me,” He assured Rey, lightly touching her shoulder to guide her the rest of the way to him. “Are you alright?” The guard asked her, taking a step forward to meet her. “You seemed upset, and you’re shaking quite a lot. It’s a very cold night to be out in only a dress, your highness.”

Rey squinted at him once more. As her eyes adjusted to the low lighting his figure was slowly becoming clearer. Now she could discern his hair, wavy and long, down to his broad shoulders.

“You can see me in this light?” She asked, confused.

“Not perfectly, but a bit. I felt your arm shaking, too,” He said. He paused, the sharp rustle of fabric cutting through the silence as he shrugged off something and extended it to her. After a moment of consideration, Rey reached out and grabbed it from him, quickly discovering it was his jacket. “Pretty sure the Empress freezing to death on my watch would get me banished from Naboo,” He explained. “Wouldn’t look great for me.”

Rey considered this for a moment and reluctantly pushed her arms through the oversized coat. 

“Well, I can’t see you,” She grumbled, struggling to fasten one of the buttons in the near darkness. “Could you help me find the electric lanterns in here? I’m pretty useless in the dark.”

“That’s not your fault, Empress. Your eyes start to adapt when you’re in my line of work. I can just see bits of you, your outline— your hair, your nose, your completely inadequate dress…” As he spoke, he moved away from Rey, his hand pressed against the wall. Eventually he hit something, and, with a snap, a flame abruptly appeared, illuminating him. Rey trailed behind him to get a better glimpse of her companion. His hair, dark brown and slightly curled, glinted faintly in the yellow glow of the lantern flame. The guard’s plain white shirt— out of uniform —caught her off guard until she remembered she was wearing his jacket.

“Excuse me,” Rey scoffed at his remark after a moment, tightening the coat around herself. “This dress was perfectly adequate for the ball tonight. Clearly I wasn’t expecting to be running around barefoot in the middle of the night… like some lunatic. God, how embarrassing!” She groaned, dropping her head in her hands. 

“What was it that frightened you in there, anyways?” He asked absentmindedly, snapping on another lantern.

“Frightened?” Rey frowned. She wasn’t sure what word she would have used, but it wasn’t that. Frightened made her sound so… cowardly. The guard lifted his arm to turn on the next light after a moment, but Rey reached out and grabbed his hand before he could. He turned to face her at the touch, and Rey took in the full sight of his face: thick, dark eyebrows which shaded narrow, slanted eyes which reminded her of the panthers which had once been brought to the palace, a sharp and angular jawline. She contemplated his slightly tanned skin, the bump in his nose, his full lips, and the scar that landed just above his eyebrow. The empress was taken aback by the sight of him. Everything about the guard seemed so lived in; meanwhile, everyone Rey had ever met looked perfectly refined and manufactured.

Rey jerked her hand away quickly, regretting her impropriety in touching someone, let alone a guard. It was an embarrassing mistake, and she was thankful it’d remain only known between the two of them.

“Not too many lanterns, please,” She requested, her voice soft. “I’m not exactly looking to be found right now, and people will be drawn like moths to this place if it’s lit up.”

The guard let out a long sigh, his brows furrowed in concentration as if he, too, was studying Rey’s features.

“No frostbite on my watch,” He concluded sternly. “More flames means more heat… not that it’s going to make that big of a difference.”

“I’m not that delicate, sir. I’m not going to perish from a little bit in the cold. I’ll be fine.”

“Who’s to say I didn’t mean me?” He fired back. Though there was nothing in his expression to suggest it was a joke, there was a slight crinkle by his eyes that tipped her off to his sarcasm, and Rey rolled her eyes. “And yes, frightened. Those weren’t sad cries, they were scared cries. You seemed terrified. And, look, you’re still crying now.”

Rey blushed when he noticed this, and she quickly sniffled and dabbed at her eyes, eager to have the evidence of her breakdown erased.

“So, what was it?” The guard pressed, folding his arms. “Tell me.”

“No,” Rey stopped, no longer trailing behind him. “That’s… classified information, I guess, and certainly not something for you to know. And besides, I don’t even know your name. Why would I share that with a complete stranger?”

“Because you’re lonely,” He shot back.

“I’m sorry,” Rey scoffed. “Do you not see the massive ball going on inside of the palace right now?” When she paused speaking there was only the sound of their breath, the faint call of Rey’s name, and the lull of music coming from the grand room. “That’s the opposite of lonely, sir.”

“Right,” The guard responded, unconvinced. “Because all non-lonely people run away from their balls crying and try to escape their palace. Totally not something a lonely person would do.” Again, that slight amused crinkle by his eyes appeared. “I can’t protect you like I should if I don’t know what we’re hiding from.”

“You’re very annoyingly perceptive,” The Empress grumbled, crossing her arms as well. “Maybe I’ll bite. But you still didn’t tell me your name.”

“How about I tell you in return for the full story?”

“How about you tell me and I consider it?”

There was quiet for a moment, and then the guard sighed.

“Ben,” He said simply, then crossed the room to peer out the window opposite of them.

Rey huffed after him.

“That’s it?” She asked. “No last name or anything?”

“Nope,” Ben chuckled, a surprisingly light noise. “You didn’t specify which name you wanted. So, I did my part— pay up.”

“I don’t think that counts,” Rey mumbled.

“Oh, come on! You’re very difficult, do you know that?”

Rey faltered. What were they teaching palace guards nowadays? Rey would have never spoken to her superiors so candidly— well, that is, if she had superiors. She chewed on her lip and considered Ben. He didn’t appear like much of a threat— guards rarely knew anyone important —and, to be fair, he was right about her being lonely. Who else did she really have to talk to this about that could give her unbiased advice?

“Fine.” Rey finally said, giving in to her poor judgement. “This information is strictly— and I mean, strictly —confidential. Do you understand? As in, not to be shared under any circumstances, even if your life depends on it?” She finally conceded, pressing Ben’s loyalty.

“Scout’s honor,” He reassured her. 

Rey stared at him for a long time before she said anything, still making up her mind about his trustworthiness. If it was any night but tonight, Rey would have never even thought about complaining about her problems to a guard. In fact, if it was a normal night, Rey wouldn’t have spoken to the guards in the first place. No one of similar rank seemed to respect her, though, so why should she respect their stupid rules? After all, she was the God damned Empress. Ben raised his eyebrows at her as if to say “go on”. 

“It’s about marriage,” She finally spoke, all of her feelings of disgust and betrayal returning to her.

“Oh. Congratulations, your highness,” Ben replied, running a hand through the hair at the back of his neck. “Who’s the lucky guy?”

“Lucky? You’ve got it all wrong,” She told him, her mind screaming at her to stop talking before she said something she’d regret. Hadn’t she already crossed that line several times tonight, though? “My advisors have arranged for me to be married to a man that I.... don’t like. Or respect. Or find attractive. Or, you know what, even vaguely tolerate! And no one even thought to mention it to me until I find out from… him!”

“Are you kidding? That’s ridiculous,” Ben scoffed. “Surely you can tell them the marriage won’t work, then. Express those sentiments, and then pick someone that you like more than him.”

“Clearly you don’t know what my advisors are like,” She whispered, starting to feel like crying once more. 

“Apparently not,” He reflected. “Controlling, I presume.”

“God, that’s not even the half of it!” The Empress exclaimed, fully aware that she was revealing too much. She didn’t know Ben. He could repeat this to anyone, and before she knew it there’d be a coup at her door demanding she step down from the throne. For some reason, she couldn’t find it in herself to care about that anymore. “When I ascended to the throne at fifteen, grieving my fucking parents dying, of course I let them walk over me because I didn’t know what the hell I was doing! Now I’m twenty three and they give me no control over anything— to Hell with being empress, or the war, or any of that stuff, that they can control— but my life? My marriage?! It’s just so—”

“Empress Rey!” Hux’s voice suddenly cried out in the darkness. Though it was faint, it struck Rey as if he’d been within feet of her. God, hearing him call her by her name made her feel sick. Without a word, Ben quickly grabbed Rey by the arm, drawing her back towards the dark area of the house. His hand remained on Rey’s arm, the contact burning her skin, and Ben raised a finger to his lips, his eyes trained on her own. “Your highness!” The General yelled once more, his voice slightly closer this time. “Rey Kenobi!”

Once more, there was silence.

“It’s Hux, isn’t it?” Ben said softly after a moment, the realization dawning on him. “Your unbearable fiancé? You’re going to have to marry Hux!”

Rey leaned backwards, confused. 

“You know General Hux?” She asked in a whisper, having a feeling she didn’t want to know the answer. 

“Commander Solo!” Hux yelled out once more, his voice booming over the Great Garden. Ben pressed his eyes shut, clearly cringing at the sound. “Ben Solo!” Hux said this time, his voice, his voice slightly quieter. “Are you out here? Where are you, Ren?!” After a moment Hux’s calls retreated, and then disappeared entirely.

Oh no. Oh no. Nonononononono. Oh God. This was not happening. Rey hadn’t just spilled her true emotions out to a fucking commander of all people— she wouldn’t have. She was always so careful. Rey scrambled to grasp at the jacket he had given her, looking at the left of the chest of the coat. Sure enough, there it was, even recognizable in the darkness— the insignia of the commanders of the Royal Army of Naboo.

“Fuck!” Rey exclaimed softly under her breath to herself, placing her palms on her forehead. She’d really done it now, talking so openly about things with someone as important as him. A commander! What an idiot she’d been!

“I beg your pardon?” The commander asked, stooping down slightly to try and meet Rey’s hidden eyes. “I’m pretty sure I just heard the Empress of Naboo swear. That’s sort of badass.”

Rey dropped her hands and glared at him, and then began to quickly shrug off his jacket, shoving it towards him as she paced around the house.

“It’s most certainly not badass! I apologize profusely— and seriously, you cannot mention this to anyone—”

“Wasn’t going to,” He promised absentmindedly as he fumbled the jacket, cutting her off. Before she could say anything else, Ben moved towards the window once more and looked up at the night sky. "Like I said, scout's honor."

“What on Earth are you doing?!” She demanded, staring at him. “Ben, listen to me—”

“Is that Orion overhead?” He pondered, clearly not paying attention to her.

“What?” Rey blundered, caught off guard, and followed his point to glance up at the night sky. “I don’t know; you’re asking the wrong Kenobi. My father taught Finn the stars, not me. Why are we talking about this now?! Anyways, it’s just—”

“It is,” Ben informed her, and Rey scoffed. Why ask if he already knew? “So if we follow it over we should find… Ah, there she is. Andromeda.” He looked down at Rey and smiled. “The two warriors.” 

Rey could see Ben’s breath as he spoke, disappearing into the darkness of the cabin. She furrowed her brows for a minute before she spoke.

“You’re wrong,” She eventually pointed out in spite of her anger. “‘The Chained Woman’. Andromeda isn’t a warrior, she’s a prisoner.”

“You lied,” He pointed out, looking amused. “You do know the stars. You know, breaking free is one of the most courageous things a person can do,” Ben qualified. “A person doesn’t just have to be resigned to their fate.” He stood smirking to himself for a moment, and then, as if only just remembering said, “My apologies for interrupting— you can continue your rant now.”

Rey faltered. The Commander’s stupid astronomy life lesson had softened her rage. She shook her head before she spoke, as if to rid it of distractions.

“It’s just that you failed to disclose your rank to me, Commander.” She said, choosing her words carefully. “And this is more than just a matter of an overlooked rule of etiquette. I’m sure you understand that there are things I am not at liberty to discuss with people of a certain status. I mean, there are confidentiality rules and...”

“Oh, please. Does something that shallow really change anything for you? Confidentially rules that allow you to tell secrets to people you believe are foot soldiers, but not people who are commanders? That seems backwards.”

“Of course it changes things!” She yelled in a whisper. “Deception certainly makes things different! A palace guard isn’t anyone of consequence. Who were you going to tell? But a commander— God, Ben, you know people! People that matter! Do you know how many people are dying to see me get kicked off the throne? If I say anything remotely bad about my position they’ll—”

“God, do you hear yourself right now? A person of no consequence? And why would you tell me those things in the first place if you were so worried people might find out about them, Rey?” His voice remained soft, which made his anger all the more intimidating.

Rey’s eyes widened, both from horror and adrenaline. He had called her Rey. That was, quite frankly, forbidden. You weren’t to call your Empress by their first name, ever. Why did the word from his mouth send such a thrill through her? 

“No, no, no, Ben— you can’t call me that. I’m serious! If anyone overheard heard you say that, the implications would be—”

“So what!” He laughed. “You’re the Empress. Tell them to screw themselves, and tell them to stop with the marriage bullshit too!”

“I mean for you!” She scathed, pulling him by the arm further out of view of the window. “Commander Solo, you need to hear me.”

“So I’m Commander Solo now?” He grinned.

“Commander Solo,” Rey emphasized, deadly serious. “You need to listen. There are things out of my control in this palace. Many things. If anyone inside of that room,” She pointed upwards towards where the ballroom was. “Gets word of the things I’ve said to you, or hears you call me by that name, or speak of me in any way as less than your monarch, things will end very badly for the both of us. I don’t think I need to tell you I mean dangerously bad. You know I’m not in control. I just told you. There’s a plan in place here, and we can’t deviate— I mean, I can’t deviate from it. There are consequences here. You need to hear me. Please. Hear me.”

As Rey spoke, she considered the absurdity of her request. She had spoken to him with complete candor, and now she was rebuking him and begging him to forget what had happened. Ben held her gaze for a long time. Rey couldn’t breathe until he spoke once more.

“Yes, Empress,” The Commander said, now as impersonal as if any peasant talking to his superior, but his face vaguely twisted with some emotion Rey couldn’t pinpoint. “I can assure you it won’t happen again. You have my most sincere apologies.”

Don’t say that, Rey wanted to say. I need a friend, she wanted to cry out, and it might as well be you. But, instead, she allowed him to awkwardly bow his head, slip his arms back into his jacket, and stroll off into the darkness of the courtyard.


End file.
